Creative Community Partnerships AJFCA/IAJVS Annual Conference April 16, 2007 New York City

1. Creative Community PartnershipsAJFCA/IAJVS Annual ConferenceApril 16, 2007New York City

2. Presentation Overview • How a large agency created key partnerships with large public systems serving children: a school district & a county department of social services • How a small agency created effective collaborations with local funders, other social service agencies, and community volunteers to provide support for at-risk families

3. Presenters • Cheri Brady, LICSW ACT Program Supervisor of JFCS of Minneapolis, MN • Ruth Edelman, LCSW Family Mentor Program Coordinator Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties (NJ)

4. Presentation Format • Overview of our two programs • 8 Steps for Effective Collaborations • Questions/Sharing information • Handouts have greater program detail and contact information

5. ACT Program Overview • ACT is an acronym for two schools served • Located in two elementary schools, near the agency/in the neighborhood • Schools identified as having a need • Concerns with attendance, academic performance, behavior while at school, high family mobility

6. ACT Program Staff • Clinical supervisor and therapist • Family Support Workers (2 FTE) • Social Skills/Prevention Educator • Volunteer Coordinator

7. Additional Program Team Members • Graduate Level Interns • Volunteers • 1:1 mentors • Lunch Buddies • - homework helpers • family event facilitators

8. Key Professional Connections • School principals and teachers • School social workers • Staff from specialized housing programs • Local librarians • Community Education staff • NHS advisors from 2 High schools • Synagogue and church leaders • JFCS/JVS staff

9. Program Services • Family Case Management • Counseling at school and at the agency • Social skills sessions for each classroom • Homework help • Family Fun Night events • Mentors for children • School-wide consultation services

10. Long-Term OutcomeACT Program • Students who receive ACT services for at least 9 months demonstrate growth in social skills and academic achievement

11. Jewish Family Serviceof Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties JFS Family Mentor Program

12. Program Purpose Strength based program • Promotion of emotional and physical health • Promotion of financial stability • Children and adults • Volunteer “matched” with family for 1 year • Provide in-home support/information • Somerset County families:children <10 years

13. Program Outcomes • Completion of 1 year in program (and most beyond) • Meeting family defined goals: *increased financial stability *increased education *improved relationships among family members *improved self-esteem *increased access to resources for emotional, social and financial support • Family Satisfaction with program • Volunteer Satisfaction with program

14. Outreach Efforts: Families • Outreach efforts to identify referrals • Presentations in the community • Presentation to county providers/agencies • Media: press release, newspaper, etc • Mailings to referral sources • Word of mouth

15. Families: Source of Referral

16. Families: Primary Presenting Issues

17. Families: Ethnicity

18. Outreach Efforts: Volunteers • Outreach efforts to recruit volunteers are on-going and include: • Presentations in the community • Website recruitment: corporate & not for profit • Newspaper publicity • E mail’s to target groups • E mail’s to Somerset County Temples • Local colleges and a university

19. Volunteers: Source of Referral

20. Volunteers: Age Groups

21. Volunteers: Education Level

22. Volunteers: Ethnicity

23. Volunteers: Gender % %

24. Volunteers: What They Do • Meet with family 1 time per week in family homes • Work with families to achieve established goals and identify new goals • Help families to identify each members strengths • Participate in family activities, sharing positive experiences • Attend monthly peer group supervision session • Complete monthly paperwork

25. Our Volunteers: What JFS Provides • Initial orientation and training (9 hours) • Ongoing supervision & collaboration (in person, by phone, and by email) • Timely responses to questions & concerns • Resources for additional services & information • Professional Advisory Committee: resources beyond scope & knowledge of JFS staff • Ideas/recommendations for low/no cost activities

26. Funding • The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, a steadfast partner provided the seed money for the program and continues their support today. • Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders has been a funding partner since January 2006 • JFS continues to seek sources of financial support in order to maintain our commitment to families and mentors

27. Steps for Creating Effective Collaborations • Understand community needs and resources • Identify agency expertise • Ensure “fit” with agency mission • Identify and involve potential stakeholders (external and internal) • Clarify common interests • Develop communication mechanisms • Ensure credibility via excellent outcomes • Communicate results

28. #1: Understand Community Needs • Children’s school performance concerns many people • At-risk children live in at-risk families: • Economic disadvantages • Parents with low education levels • Parents with low job skills • Parents who have a history of delinquent behavior, substance abuse, or mental health difficulties • Families with children with special needs

29. #1: Understand Community Needscon’t. • JFCS contacted a school superintendent, and together identified a school • Higher number of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch • Focused on primary grades (early intervention, to work on prevention) • JFS collaborated with a variety of social service agencies to identify needs • Unanticipated was high need among families with children with disabilities

30. #2:Identify Agency Expertise • Review agency experience, current programs, and staff qualifications and abilities • Both agencies expert in: • assisting families with improving stability • intervening with children and families to help them emotionally • JFS recruited and hired staff with expertise in Program Development and volunteer management • JFS needed to add staff with expertise in special needs issues due to high referrals in that area (obtained separate funding to do so, expanding program)

31. #3:Ensure “fit” with Mission JFCS of Minneapolis is a social service and vocational agency dedicated to enhancing the well-being and self-sufficiency of individuals and families by assisting them to meet the unique challenges of daily life. JFS Mission “not for profit, non-discriminatory social service agency whose purpose is to preserve and strengthen the quality of individual, family and community life based on Jewish values.”

32. #4:Identify & Involve Potential Stakeholders Ask: Who else cares about this? • JFCS identified: Schools Local Foundations County Social Services Individuals (became an advisory committee) • JFS identified: Public and private stable funding sources Countywide social services JFS Board and multidisciplinary Professional Advisory Committee Community members from all backgrounds

33. #5:Clarify Common Interests • Schools • Met with district superintendent • Several mutual concerns were identified • Identified barriers to educational success which agency could address, based on our expertise 2. Social Service Agencies • Met with leaders to establish program for continuing care, less intensive care, or longer term involvement than referring agency

34. #5:Clarify Common Interests, Con’t. 3. Local Foundation(s) • Met with local foundations to establish mutual concerns, develop a model for a program with measurable outcomes, and secure early financial support • Assess current funding “climate” and types of programs seen as “innovative” (i.e. high demand, and/or not offered by others)

35. #5:Clarify Common Interestscon’t. 4. County Department of Social Services • Both agencies involved local county commissioners & Dept. of Human Services with early work. Created Advisory Committees (interested civic leaders/professionals). This helped create opportunity for a service contract with the County.

36. #5:Clarify Common Interests(con’t.) 5. Business Community/Civic Groups -positive “bandwagon” effect -volunteer recruitment/board involvement -specific resources for: summer camp, holiday meals, senior services etc… -agency exposure/PR

37. #5:Clarify Common Interests, con’t. Both programs reduce the need for more expensive services with these outcomes: • improved school attendance (JFCS) school completion (JFS) • families accessing mental health /physical health services • families obtaining/maintaining jobs, housing • families having greater support for nurturing of their children, including high risk situations

38. #6:Develop Communication Mechanisms • High visibility for Board through Program updates and reporting and involvement of Board members as volunteers (JFS) • Program brochures, publicity through websites, print media, community presentations keeps agency and program in public view • Monthly and quarterly reports to Board, funding sources, and other stakeholders • Ongoing meetings with volunteers for multiple purposes

39. #7: Ensure Credibility via Excellent Outcomes • Develop and implement a program logic model which is true to your agency mission, and which utilizes your agency strengths/talents. • When outcomes are mutually established and effectively reached, others become interested in assisting with funding.

40. #8:Communicate Results • Monthly and quarterly reports to Board, funding sources, and other stakeholders • Annual reports to stakeholders • Quantitative and qualitative measurable outcomes

41. QUESTIONS?